The nonprofit gained a huge following of Harry Potter fans during its first campaign, during which it collaborated with the rock band Harry and the Potters to solicit donations for Amnesty International. Fandom Forward has been around for 15 years, making it as old as ATLA. “We believe in the power of story to turn fans into heroes,” says Katie Bowers, the organization’s managing director. Simply put, it means spurring young people to action by using popular stories like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Steven Universe to draw parallels to the real world and show how anyone can make a difference. The nonprofit Fandom Forward embraces what it calls “the power of pop culture to make activism more accessible for everyone” - an idea dubbed “critical nerd theory” during the rally. He journeys with his friends Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Prince Zuko to become the master of those elements and stop the United Sta- I mean the Fire Nation from fanning the flames of a colonialist agenda that is devouring the world. It tells the story of a 12-year-old airbender - one who can wield the elements earth, water, air, and fire as weapons or healing tools - named Aang. But the emotional and narrative depth that ATLA provided was unique to Nick in the 2000s. Don’t get me wrong, I loved turn-of-the-century Nicktoons like SpongeBob SquarePants, Rugrats, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. Being the big sister in my family meant I had to keep an eye on my siblings while they watched Blue’s Clues and Dora the Explorer. The show is unlike any Nickelodeon cartoon I’ve experienced. I remember friends offering belated birthday wishes and my asking if they were excited to watch the first episode.
It was Monday, a school day, and I was convinced that the show’s debut was a birthday present. I was in fifth grade and already a budding anime fan. The first episode aired on February 21, 2005, the day after my 10th birthday. I’m a proud Blerd (Black nerd, for the uninitiated) whose love of the show, known by the shorthand ATLA, and its spin-off series The Legend of Korra, goes back to elementary school.
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